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Double Rifles, Single Shots & Combinations >> Double Rifles
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Chavez
.224 member


Reged: 31/10/13
Posts: 25
Loc: Kentucky
First real double , what should I be looking out for.
      #263039 - 02/04/15 03:02 PM

I have sold some of my colt and winchester collection , and before my wife spends the money at the car lot , I have decided to buy a double rifle , I would like to get some advise from the more experience , because I have little in this field. What should I look for , or lookout for!
My first choice in caliber is 450 3.250 bpe or Cfb
Rigby or h&h under-lever hammer gun
Solid condition field grade and a good shooter
Must be original even if low finish
I seen a holland at the gun show in Louisville ky last year but the cal . Was 50 bpe , asking prise was 10,000 ,I did not know enough about it to make an offer , do you get factory letters on these like colt on win?
What price range will I be looking at ? Thank for any and all advice, please excuse bad spelling and English .

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AkMike
.416 member


Reged: 19/11/05
Posts: 2576
Loc: Anchorage, Alaska
Re: First real double , what should I be looking out for. [Re: Chavez]
      #263042 - 02/04/15 03:16 PM

The sky's the limit as to what can be had. You wallet and your wife will have the final say so.

Letters can be had for some brands. Many records were lost due to the bombings of WWII.

The 450 Express is a fine round for shooting in NA but very light for fangs and horns. What's your intended game?

--------------------
"When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing; when you see that money is flowing to those who deal not in goods, but in favors; you may know that your society is doomed." Ayn Rand

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Chavez
.224 member


Reged: 31/10/13
Posts: 25
Loc: Kentucky
Re: First real double , what should I be looking out for. [Re: AkMike]
      #263075 - 03/04/15 12:27 PM

Most likely will never hunt dangerous game , just take to farm and fun shoot , might even take it deer hunting sometime . I shoot all my rifles no mater the value , I mostly like the looks of the doubles and especially the under-lever. Got loads of ffg to shoot up!

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rigbymauser
.400 member


Reged: 15/05/05
Posts: 1972
Loc: Denmark
Re: First real double , what should I be looking out for. [Re: Chavez]
      #263106 - 04/04/15 05:41 AM

Quote:

I have sold some of my colt and winchester collection , and before my wife spends the money at the car lot , I have decided to buy a double rifle , I would like to get some advise from the more experience , because I have little in this field. What should I look for , or lookout for!
My first choice in caliber is 450 3.250 bpe or Cfb
Rigby or h&h under-lever hammer gun
Solid condition field grade and a good shooter
Must be original even if low finish
I seen a holland at the gun show in Louisville ky last year but the cal . Was 50 bpe , asking prise was 10,000 ,I did not know enough about it to make an offer , do you get factory letters on these like colt on win?
What price range will I be looking at ? Thank for any and all advice, please excuse bad spelling and English .



Welcome onboard Charvez.


As a former Winchester & Colt collector I can tell you allready the mindset from that "collectorworld" isn´t 100% adapteable to the "englishgun collecting world".

Condition is everyhing but....Original condition may not influence the Price as much as it does in the Winchester & Colt world. Don´t be afraid to buy a gun that has been refurbished, restored or refinished. Here the English doublerifle will still hold its value if things is done correctly and will still be an attractive piece. Here the name, caliber comes first in and other things as nonrebounding, Rebounding, hammerless, dollshead ext, engravings, barrellength, cased or no case may have a larger influence than "original finish".
Personally I would much rather buy an English doublerifle with an attractive known name that has been refinished expertly than buy a lesser known name gun with no finish(but original) at all.

If you can find a good H&H hammerrifle in either .450ex or .500ex I would say you are on the right track. .500ex is more attractive than .450ex(just like in Winchesters). People who has been in this longer than I have been say that the average hunter/shooter becomes more happy with the .500express in the long run and it is here an invisible line is drawn from comming from .450express to 500cal that one actually move up to a still truly usefull biggame caliber. Even Buffalo is still hunted today with .500express rifles.

Read book, read on-line articals, read Nitroexpress forum(the best) and start with a good academical Foundation of knowledge to later to make a good choice....and stay happy longer..:LOL

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3DogMike
.400 member


Reged: 29/01/15
Posts: 1465
Loc: Western Slope, Colorado USA
Re: First real double , what should I be looking out for. [Re: Chavez]
      #263107 - 04/04/15 06:31 AM

Quote:

Most likely will never hunt dangerous game , just take to farm and fun shoot , might even take it deer hunting sometime ......(snip)......... Got loads of ffg to shoot up!


Welcome to a truly addicting facet of the shooting world; there's nothing quite like double rifles!

Your comment: "Got loads of ffg to shoot up!"
You will find with the Black Powder Express doubles that acceptably accurate loads won't be quite as easy as just using a measured charge of FFG from Elephant or Goex. Simply not the same quality and power as the original C & H #6 that was used.
I would not be the only one to recommend that you get a copy of Graeme Wright's book "Shooting the British Double Rifle" if you want to achieve early(er) success with accurate double shooting.

.50 BPE is great fun and a solid hunting caliber, but don't discount the .450BPE either.....especially if you are hunting deer size game. Bullets are somewhat easier to find and if you are at all recoil sensitive then the .450 Express is a bit easier.
Actually, it seems like a .50BPE is more commonly found for sale than a .450 just due to the popularity of .45 caliber.

Look here for a feel of availability and prices:
http://www.gunsinternational.com/English...amp;start_row=1

$10,000 - $14,000 for a good solid clean name English BPE in .450 or .500 is about standard these days.

- Mike

--------------------
"Will Rogers never met a fighter pilot"
- Anon

“Always carry a flask of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake."
-- W. C. Fields

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TH44
.375 member


Reged: 21/02/09
Posts: 734
Loc: West UK
Re: First real double , what should I be looking out for. [Re: 3DogMike]
      #263110 - 04/04/15 08:07 AM

Definitely plus one for Rigbymauser's opinions. Especially in the US, full refurbishment, barrel, woodwork and re case hardening is very popular and acceptable

The top names, Purdey (rare and very expensive in rifles) and H&H, with Alexander Henry are probably the tops, but all the better names are equally good, although almost all makers bought in from the Birmingham trade, especially from W&C Scott

.450 / 3 1/4" is a very good calibre (one of my A-H falling blocks is in this), but the .500 BPE (mine a George Gibbs S/S) is good, more versatile, originally more popular in India, and many have come back from there over the years, and probably best value for money

You will pay more for a .577 in 2 3/4", 3", & 3 1/4"

On re reading your post, take these opinions as more relevant to my own favourites, the hammer rifles of 1870-1900

Be aware it is very easy to get addicted to these wonderful rifles

TH44

Edited by TH44 (04/04/15 08:14 AM)

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Rell
.375 member


Reged: 03/12/04
Posts: 642
Loc: Oyster Bay, NY, USA
Re: First real double , what should I be looking out for. [Re: TH44]
      #263113 - 04/04/15 10:39 AM

First real double , what should I be looking out for?

Simple ....

1. 100% reliable, mechanically sound and robust.
2. Max 3 inch group at 50 meters with two rights and two lefts.
3. Fit's you like a glove.

Everything else is taste and value IMHO.

--------------------
450-400, 9.3x74r and 7x65r.

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rigbymauser
.400 member


Reged: 15/05/05
Posts: 1972
Loc: Denmark
Re: First real double , what should I be looking out for. [Re: TH44]
      #263124 - 04/04/15 06:48 PM

Quote:




Be aware it is very easy to get addicted to these wonderful rifles

TH44



"Addicted"...hmmm...I would say obsessed but ok addicted is a fine diagnose too...:LOL

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Chavez
.224 member


Reged: 31/10/13
Posts: 25
Loc: Kentucky
Re: First real double , what should I be looking out for. [Re: rigbymauser]
      #263160 - 05/04/15 10:04 AM

Lots of good info , already putting it to work. Ordered Mr. Wrights book last night. Very nice rifles on the GI sight . When I get my first double I will post pictures, maybe that 50ex will be at the gun this year , now that I have a little more info. Thanks Gentlemen .

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500Boswell
.400 member


Reged: 21/07/06
Posts: 1276
Loc: Queensland
Re: First real double , what should I be looking out for. [Re: Chavez]
      #263161 - 05/04/15 10:53 AM

Butch Searcy has a Field Grade 500 for $9500.00 with nice wood ,you can see the pic on Accurate Reloading Gun Classifieds if it were me, i would grab it !

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Chavez
.224 member


Reged: 31/10/13
Posts: 25
Loc: Kentucky
Re: First real double , what should I be looking out for. [Re: 500Boswell]
      #263185 - 06/04/15 02:05 PM

I will check it out, thanks

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rigbymauser
.400 member


Reged: 15/05/05
Posts: 1972
Loc: Denmark
Re: First real double , what should I be looking out for. [Re: Chavez]
      #263190 - 06/04/15 06:16 PM

http://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=5397039

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Chavez
.224 member


Reged: 31/10/13
Posts: 25
Loc: Kentucky
Re: First real double , what should I be looking out for. [Re: rigbymauser]
      #263205 - 07/04/15 07:05 AM

Now that is a beautiful rifle!

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NitroXAdministrator
.700 member


Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39896
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: First real double , what should I be looking out for. [Re: rigbymauser]
      #263217 - 07/04/15 04:50 PM

Quote:

http://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=5397039



Very nice.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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